Beyond Terminus (Book Two)

Chapter 58: Insanity

The next morning, I wake to an empty bed. I hug my pillow, taking a deep breath. Daryl, my Daryl, is perfectly capable of protecting himself. He's going to get back to me; he has to.

I pull myself from my bed and shower up, trying to look decent. Downstairs, there's a plate of eggs and a glass of orange juice next to my prenatal vitamins and medicine. I smile, thanking Elliot softly.

I eat and head outside, looking to the sky and taking a deep breath. Time to take on the day.

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I look up from my book, sensing that something is wrong.

I spent the day taking Buttons for short walks around his pen, visiting Noah's grave to pay my respects, talking to some of my group, and reading in the gazebo; where I am currently.

I listen again, hearing telltale screams. I get up and race in the direction of the noises, my heart racing.

I was not prepared for what's happening. Rick and Pete wrestle each other in the road, their faces beaten and bloody. Their hands remain at each other's throats while people scream around them. Pete pins Rick to the ground, tightening his grip on Rick's neck. Jessie runs to her husband, trying to pull him away. Pete punches her, getting her off just as a Rick flips him over and pins him. Carl is the one who intervenes this time.

"Dad, get off!" he shouts.

Rick only shoves him off, sending the boy flying into me. Carl stares in shock, staying at my side. His dad is scaring him again, along with everyone. I wrap an arm around the teen's shoulders, my mouth agape with shock.

Rick wraps his arm around Pete's neck, strangling him. He breathes heavily, his eyes holding that crazy glint again.

"Stop it! Stop it right now," Deanna orders as she arrives at the scene.

Nicholas and Glenn arrive, both pairs of eyes wide.

"You touch them again and I'll kill you," Rick threatens to Pete.

"Damn it, Rick! I said stop," Deanna repeats.

She and a few other Alexandrians move towards him. Rick pulls out a gun, cocking it as he aims it at them. Everyone takes a step back, Carl tensing beside me. Elliot shows up, standing by my side.

"Or what?" Rick asks, on his knees in the centre of the circle. "You gonna kick me out?"

"Put that gun down, Rick," Deanna says slowly.

"You still don't get it," he pants. "None of you do!"

"Rick..." I warn, my voice shaking.

"We know what needs to be done and we do it. We're the ones who live," he continues. "You, you just sit and plan and hesitate. You pretend like you know when you don't. You wish things weren't what they are. Well, you want to live? You want this place to stay standing? Your way of doing things is done." He shakes his gun around as he speaks, his hair and face still running with blood. "Things don't get better because you want them to. Starting right now, we have to live in the real world. We have to control who lives here."

"That's never been more clear to me than it is right now," Deanna says.

I flinch a little at her tone. If she kicks us out, who's to say what'll happen to us, what'll happen to my baby? I know I would've lost it if we'd kept going the way we were going.

"Me? Me? You-" He laughs, a crazy edge to the tone. "You mean...you mean me? Your way is gonna destroy this place. It's gonna get people killed. It's already gotten people killed. And I'm not gonna stand by and just let it happen. If you don't fight, you die. I'm not gonna stand by-"

He's silenced by Michonne, who promptly smacks him over the head with her fist. He collapses, and she looks up at all of us after taking his gun.

"Hope, Elliot, you may need to patch these two up," she says lowly.

Elliot and I glance briefly at each other, then to Deanna. She nods.

"I'll take Pete. You take Rick," Elliot whispers to me.

"Sounds good," I agree.